Leeds and York services resume after nine days of upgrades

Network Rail has thanked passengers for their patience as train services resume following a nine-day closure of the line between York and Micklefield over the autumn half-term week. During the closure, buses replaced trains between Leeds and York while work on the TransPennine Route Upgrade took place, which included the replacement of a road bridge built in 1901 at Church Fenton, Common Lane Bridge. The erection of new power lines for future electric train services across the north was also completed, meaning that 25% of the TransPennine Route Upgrade project is now electrified. Those sections are between York and Church Fenton and Manchester and Stalybridge. Despite strong winds and rain from Storm Austin and Storm Boelo during the first weekend of the works, all the projects were completed in time to allow services to resume this morning, Monday 2nd November 2026. In the coming months, local utilities will be diverted to share Common Lane Bridge before the road deck is laid and opened to traffic in summer. Meanwhile, close by on the East Coast Main Line, Network Rail carried out other works over the same two consecutive weekends. Track, overhead electrics and drainage were replaced, along with the cutting back of lineside vegetation between Doncaster and Darlington. “We’ve completed this major work at Church Fenton safely and on time, bringing us a step closer to more frequent, faster, greener trains between York, Huddersfield, Leeds and Manchester. “A big thank you to our teams who worked around the clock and in very challenging weather conditions to deliver this latest milestone.” Adam Sellers, TRU senior sponsor, “We would like to thank our colleagues from across the industry for completing these works at Church Fenton and keeping our customers moving over the past nine days. “The upgrades that have been delivered form an integral part of transforming the route between Leeds and York, helping better connect our communities. Thank you to our customers for their patience whilst these major upgrades have taken place.” Carl Harland, TRU Customer Lead for Northern,